Three iPhone Rumors from the Weekend

Another weekend, more Apple AAPL rumors. Now that the newness of the new iPhones and iPads have worn off, it’s time to look ahead. Bloomberg is reporting that Apple is developing new iPhone designs that feature larger screens with curved glass. They may also have sensors that detect different pressure levels on the touch screen.

Bloomberg cites its unnamed source as saying that Apple will release the new phones sometime during the second half of 2012—likely the third quarter.

Screen sizes will reportedly be 4.7 and 5.5 inches respectively on the new phones debuting next year. Apple is likely in the early stages of the sensor pressure technology and not likely to include this in the iPhone 6 line of phones.

Apple is widely criticized for the size of its phones. Samsung SSNLF’s Galaxy Note 3 debuted in September and features a 5.7-inch display. It’s one of large line of phones that has helped Samsung move ahead of Apple in global market share.

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Taipei-based Yuanta Financial Holding company analyst Dennis Chan said, “Screen size is one of the things where Apple has to catch up to the Android camp.” In the past, Apple has said that larger screens come with problems like the inability to operate the phone with one hand and technical limitations related to the retina display.

Along with the larger screen sizes, the iPhone 6 (if that’s what it’s called) may feature curved glass. If that’s true, Apple enthusiasts will finally get what they’ve asked for but the company won’t break any new ground. Samsung recently announced its Galaxy Round but CNET isn’t convinced. It said, “It still isn't entirely clear what the benefits are of a display that's so deeply, horizontally curved like the Round's.”

The report notes that the Galaxy Round, while curved, does not feature curved glass. If Apple’s next phone features actual curved glass, it would be the first company to bring such technology to the market.

The bigger screens and curved glass aren’t new rumors but the new normal for gaming Apple’s next move is to listen to a few people who have a track record of being in the know. As they begin to agree with each other, the truth is normally revealed. The larger screens are becoming commonplace rumors pointing to the idea that there may be validity to the reports.

Disclosure: At the time of this writing, Tim Parker was long Apple.